The recovery of a particular illness is going to begin with removing any interference with the body. That is when reversal can occur, not from symptomatic treatment which treats the symptoms but not the source.

Many women with breast implants have unknowingly developed various symptoms in response to the foreign body reaction, toxins, and oxidative stress from their breast implants. They began seeking help from their physician and specialists – adjusting their lifestyles to cleaner eating, less work, various health treatments – without resolve until connecting their symptoms to a systemic response to their breast implants regardless of make or model.

It has been established for the past several decades that the first step in recovery is explant surgery to remove the implants and the surrounding scar tissue known as capsules. Both can be responsible for an autoimmune response, with capsules containing inflammatory cells and having the potential to harbor a breast implant associated cancer known as breast implant associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL).

The occurrence of a new autoimmune disease, with or without family history, or have a preexisting autoimmune disease

The occurrence of new allergies, food intolerances, or chemical sensitivities

You’ve gone from doctor to doctor and continue to have unresolved health issues

I recommend that women write down a chronological list of their Symptoms from when they first developed. You may notice a pattern of how they began after implantation and have only compounded since.

The first step to your recovery is Explant: choose a plastic surgeon that will remove all your capsules through an En Bloc or Total Capsulectomy procedure, insist on full capsule removal, ask for all silicone to be removed in case of a rupture or of any gel bleed, check lymph nodes, have the surgeon take pictures of your capsules and implants during surgery, and we advise to have the implants returned to you so you may inspect them. You can also have the surgeon take swabs during surgery and send them to Pathology along with the capsules, to check for any infections.

Explant is the most important step towards recovery by removing foreign body and toxic interference. Following explant one may wish to begin Detoxification of the toxins stored in the body due to the overload of toxicity (heavy metals, chemicals, silicone, biotoxins) from the implants. The body is capable of great regenerative and healing potentials when treated properly.

Breast implants are a controversial subject that are still advertised as safe by plastic surgeons, doctors, and the medical community when in fact they cause many health issues. When you hear about breast implants, doctors generally focus on the look and local complications – without disclosing the persistent foreign body reaction, adjuvant effects of silicone toxicity, heavy metal exposure, how the implants release gel bleed, the development of biofilm around implants (causing low grade chronic bacterial infections, a chronic state of inflammation, capsular contracture, etc), and how the implants are oxidized in the body (causing free radical/oxidative damage). These weaken the immune system and result in a systemic cascade of negative health issues, which may include autoantibodies and autoimmune diseases, endocrine dysfunction, thyroid/adrenal problems, gut dysbiosis, bacterial and viral infections, and more. Breast implants consist of two large bags made of 40+ harmful chemicals and have semipermeable shells that leak gel bleed of silicone, Heavy Metals, and chemicals from the day they are implanted and cause profound illnesses. These abrasive substances are toxic and inflammatory to our cells and body processes, such as immune and endocrine. The “new and improved” cohesive silicone breast implants also release gel bleed and contain aggressive chemicals and heavy metals. Silicone gel bleed inside the body is like glue. As Scientific Articles show, low molecular weight siloxanes are extremely toxic. Although saline implants may seem as the safer of the two, they are also encased in silicone shells. The FDA refers to these also as “Silicone Inflatable (Saline-Filled) Breast Prosthesis.” Many of them have faulty valve manufacturing defects that cause a leakage and “backwash” effect. Therefore mold can thrive inside saline implants for years, creating biotoxicity, and the health effects are detrimental. Textured implants of any kind are some the most problematic because the shell surfaces flake off debris that can get incorporated into the capsules and lymph nodes, and aggravate the immune system. Textured implants have also been the most linked to causing BIA-ALCL.

Breast implant illness is a silent epidemic. The inconvenient truth is that breast implants cause systemic harm. The manufacturers have spent a lot of money in trying to buy research to save face and cover up the truth presented in the unbiased research studies. Please refer to the breast implant Safety and the Corporate Funding of Doctors and Scientists sections.

Trust your instincts and listen intuitively to your body, it sends you signals through symptoms. Time is of essence to the progression of your health.

Disclaimer: Please be advised that I am not a medical or legal professional and this website is not intended for medical or legal advice, it is for informational purposes only. Please refer to the Legal section for a complete website disclaimer. This is a non-commercial website and it does not receive money from any sources.

Hi, my friend is very concerned about her having an illness relating to her breast implants (Mentor). I was wondering if there are any studies proving the above symptoms are caused by breast implants? Thanks.

Hi B,
See the pages below for references to studies showing the causative effects of breast implants.

Scientific ArticlesDr. Arthur Brawer, in particular see “Chronology of systemic disease development in 300 symptomatic recipients of silicone gel-filled breast implants.” He states: “The findings in this study strengthen the conclusions of other investigators stating that silicone gel-filled breast implants are the direct cause of a novel systemic illness.”Expert ResearchersResources, see Educational LinksSafety

Additionally, Dr. Victor Urzola has a current ongoing database where he is conducting a research study on his explant patients. In 2017, he stated:

“Over the past year and 8 months I have learned and researched a lot about this condition. After explanting over 100 patients and seeing the extraordinary post operative reports with over 85% of patients reporting complete remission of their symptoms or at least an important improvement, we are committed to starting a scientific investigation with the purpose of validating BII as a syndrome and getting the medical community to recognize it as a problem affecting thousands of women around the world.”

I wanted to take a moment and share my experience in hopes that it would help someone else get through this terrible real disease known as implant sickness! I have been sick and in pain for the past year and as I went from doctor to doctor and no one seemed to believe me when I expressed that I felt my symptoms were being caused by my implants. My joints had a burning sensation of pain, I was constantly fatigued. My hands and feet were always swollen and in tingling pain. I just felt an unusual daily fogginess that was affecting my life. I was recommended to go see Dr. Kevin Brenner by a friend of mine who had her implants removed by him 2 years prior for similar reasons. I was very hesitant at first because I had been pushed away by 3 other doctors whom in the nicest way possible basically told me how I was feeling was all psychological when I knew it wasn’t! However, because my friend spoke so highly of her experience I figured I had nothing to lose.

Dr. Brenner and I met for a consultation 6 weeks ago and he spent over an hour with me listening to my real health issues and explaining his experiences with patients with similar symptoms. It was the first time in a long time I didn’t feel crazy for how I was feeling. I am now 1 month out from surgery and practically in tears writing this comment because I feel like myself again. I am disappointed that the other doctors didn’t take my illnesses seriously because I could have had this relief a year ago. I am so grateful that I was introduced to Dr. Brenner. He understood me, didn’t judge me and although my only concern was feeling healthy, I am so happy with the way my breast looks now without an implant and just a lift.

Point being breast implant illness is real and I am proof of it and to anyone else who is experiencing what I did- don’t give up!!There are doctors out there like Dr. Brenner that are knowledgeable and willing to help! I am so grateful for my life back!

I feel as though I just woke up. I have had breast implants for 28 years (March of 1990). I never had a problem until 2006 at which time I thought something had happened however, my surgeon said I must have just pulled a muscle and that the implants seemed fine. Now that surgeon is old and the shop is closed up. I have been suffering for the past 13 years with arthritis, fatigue, brain fog, inflammation, hormone imbalances, and adrenal fatigue. My naturopath had me do SO many tests which kept coming up negative. Gluten free/dairy free for 12 years and recently have removed all lectins. Yes, I am 60 but have always been active, eat incredibly clean, don’t take any meds albeit herbs and supplements. Why then do I always have pain? Duh!! Needless to say I am a bit freaked out right now. I love my beasts and always thought it was the right thing to do way back then. After reading most of these posts I suppose I really have only one option. Is there a forum from women that have had explants. The reason I did the implants (I’m sure like so many others) was the result of nursing three kids for several years. Support on the new journey would be terrific.

Hi Jacquelyn,
Very glad you found this information, you now have the knowledge and empowerment! It is a profound realization and defining moment when one connects their breast implants to their declining health journey. There are over 160+ breast implant illness support and awareness, groups and pages on Facebook where women share their experiences, see here for a list.

I have the gummy bear saline implants and i have spent the past 4 years trying to figure out what autoimmune disease i have that is making me constantly sick, in pain, fatigued and just all over sick feeling. After finding this page i believe my implants have to be the cause!! Does anyone know if medicaid will cover this procedure? I saw in a previous post that medicare will if coded correctly so i wondered if medicaid was the same

I have Saline implants (Mentors) and for some years… I have been suffering from Fibromlgia for yrs now some numbness on the left side just thigh on occasions..depession, hair loss badly, and alot of other symtons as others have mentioned…I am on SSI with Medicare…So, you are saying Medicare will pay for the removal of these harmful implants… The pain is sometims so bad…… I saw a news broadcast on tv of a news comentator suffereing from Breast Implant Illness..

I have been chronically exposed to mold over the last 6 years. I had my implant replaced in 2015. I recently got extremeley ill and had to move out of my house. I slowly started getting better, I found a doctor who specializes in mold illness, the first thing he told me was to have them removed because mold can get behind the implants and colonize. My first question is has anyone ever heard of this and second could it happen in a matter of 2 years. I AM MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY SICK OVER THIS, I FEAR IT WILL CAUSE A DIVORCE AND TEAR MY FAMILY APART.

Moldy implants is REAL. I just saw a picture of moldy implants that were just removed on a practitioners group I belong to. I am very familiar with mold illness. Have them removed ASAP! Good luck to you.

Hi Tara,
There is a charitable Explant Assistance Program but it is currently on hold as they go through a backlog of a heavy volume of applications they received after simplifying their requirements in January 2018. They offer up to $5,000 to help women with explant surgery with proof of record of implants/implant surgery and explant. If there are funds leftover the program will hopefully reopen at some point. It may be of use to periodically check in with them to see where they are at and in the meantime to request your medical records from your implanting surgeon.

Ladies please remove your implants regardless of how long you had them in. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have symptoms now, you will in the future so save yourself the suffering! I had my Mentor Memory Gel implants under the muscle for 8 years. I just got them explanted with en bloc 3 weeks ago. All my symptoms are 90% better and some are completely gone. I can’t believe it almost! For the past 2 years I was suffering with brain fog, joint pain, numbness and pain in my hands and feet, extreme thirst, hair loss and slow growing, fatigue, rashes, dry skin, muscle spasms in my neck and back. I was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia and scleroderma which I have an identical sister who has neither of these. I went from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong with me. I was completely healthy for years and then it was like a switch, I woke up one morning feeling tired and achy joints that productively got worse over the past 2 years. I wish someone would have shared their story with me 2 years ago. Up until 4 months ago, I’ve never heard of breast implant illness and that is why I am determined to spread the word. I had my explant by Melissa Johnson in Springfield Massachusetts. She removed my implants and capsules and I do recommend her. The next day after the surgery I noticed immediately that the constant muscle spasm in my neck and back was gone and over the next couple of days my brain fog cleared up, rash on my back and scalp went away. My skin had even regained it’s glow and shine. I started the detox process and in 6 months I will retake all bloodwork and hoping my autoimmune and centromore ab are normal. I pray that you all have the strength to get them removed and regain your health! Please share your stories with ANYONE!

I have have the same implants,under the muscle, got them in 2009, symptoms started in 2015, I’m so sick, and have a 3 yr old daughter to care for, I have every symptom. I was told forever it was anxiety, Then doctors started making up excuses not to see me like saying I have two insurances one from 1991, now I am in excruciating pain around the implants. I don’t know what to do!

Wow, this website is a godsend,
I’ve gotten every test under the sun & things keep coming back “healthy” yet I know that’s impossible considering I have most of you have described yet am exhausted all the time, have numb hands & toes, & have gotten RA, I had saline for 20 years since I was 16…. & am convinced I have BII
Can someone recommend an explanation surgeon in Canada, preferably Toronto.
Thank you so much & im wishing you all health & wellness.

Hi all, I was diagnosed with D.I.S.H. at 40, but had very few symptoms and was able to exercise and walk daily until 2013 when I had silicone implants with a lift put in. It seems to have accelerated the bone deterioration and for the last year I have been in a fog, and with pain all the time. Also many of the other illnesses named here by others. Does anyone know if Medicare will pay for explant? I am also afraid I will go through all the expense and pain with no improvement in my health and ugly breast.

Hi Deborah,
Medicare often does pay for explant when the correct codes are used and the criteria apply. See insurance.

Breast implants are large foreign bodies that contain silicone, heavy metals, and other chemicals. They are toxic interference to the body and can exacerbate prior conditions, in addition to creating more symptoms. You can read explant healing stories under Life Since Explant Club and see a gallery of pictures on how the heal is real at BII Aware, under BII Photos. There are also many news stories of women’s healing testimonies under Resources.

Dr. Lu-Jean Feng has stated, “I would say that most patients recover their illness, recover their health after a proper explantation. Percentage? I would put it at over 75%.” (Webinar Transcript, pg. 7)

Last year, Dr. Victor Urzola stated: “Over the past year and 8 months I have learned and researched a lot about this condition. After explanting over 100 patients and seeing the extraordinary post operative reports with over 85% of patients reporting complete remission of their symptoms or at least an important improvement, we are committed to starting a scientific investigation with the purpose of validating BII as a syndrome and getting the medical community to recognize it as a problem affecting thousands of women around the world.”

In regards to breast aesthetics post explant – my breasts went back to how they were prior to implants, the scars have even faded. There are many beautiful results in the community and there are FB groups you can join to see pictures. Find an explant surgeon who is experienced in explant.

So I found this after googling why I can’t do push ups with a boob job. I had no idea BII existed and now I am freaked out. I am young and just had the implants put in 7 months ago. I was 32a-b before. I had 275cc gummy bear put in. I am a model and I am worried my breasts will look bad if I remove the implant now.
1. did anyone have an explant and have their boobs look like they previously did?
2. Since I only had it about a year ago will it be easier for my breasts to return to normal?
3. Did anyone have any procedures / laser to remove the scar?
4. I live in NYC if anyone can recommend an explant expert doctor!

As well, there are fitness models and women explanting in the BeachBody fitness community. They have been able to improve their health and resume workouts after explant. SJ McShane is a fitness and BII advocate who did a cover story on the ugly side of breast implants. She states, “The fatigue became so bad I had to stop working out” and other symptoms that resolved post explant.

There are many beautiful explant results in the community. It is important to find an explant surgeon who has a lot of experience in explant. It seems the less time one has had them in, the faster women are recovering.

Hi,
I had breast implants fitted back in 2009. For the last year or so I’ve had days (around 4 days a week) where I’ve been in a tremendous amount of pain. To the point that putting on a bra hurts. I really want to have mine taken out but am unsure whether to go back to the surgeon/company I had them done with. Has anyone had pain related issues with their implants. I’ve not had fatigue or hair loss just a painful right breast.

Hi Victoria,
Yes, pain in the breasts is a symptom. It could be from capsular contracture where the capsules (scar tissue) encapsulating the implants harden. If you have textured implants you may want to consider doing the CD30 pathology test on the capsules to rule BIA-ALCL. Find an experienced explant surgeon who will do full capsule removal. A smaller percentage of women have gone back to their implanting surgeons but most seek out another surgeon who is experienced in explant.

After 7 months of implants, I am sure your breasts will look the same as they were before the implants after removal. I had my implants for 8 years and my breasts look normal. I had my implants removed with Dr. Melissa Johnson in Springfield Massachusetts. She did a great job explanting my implants with en bloc and she put lots of glue on my incision so you can barely see it them. Whether you use her or choose another doctor, I suggest you get them removed. I was fine after my implants and then one day I just became sick, my hair fell out, joint pain, numbness in my hands and feet, brain fog, extreme fatigue, dry skin and muscle spasms in my neck and back. It’s only been 3 weeks and already my symptoms have improved 90% after 2 years of pain and suffering. I had no idea what was wrong with me. I have also been diagnosed with autoimmune, fibromyalgia and scleroderma. I am hoping after detox these will all go away as well. Save yourself from this and remove them before they harm you!

I’m so grateful for this website – thank you so much for continuing to gather thorough, science-backed information about breast implant illness and for building an extremely strong case against them. It certainly helped in my decision, although my gut and intuition were telling me they were poisoning me for years. I had my cohesive gel silicone implants removed two weeks ago and am still in recovery, but I feel great. A literal and figurative weight off my chest!

For anyone out there who is still trying to identify what’s making them sick but has an inkling that it could be their breast implants, IT’S THE BREAST IMPLANTS. I personally had saline implants put in in 2003 and then had a revision in 2012 and had the new, “safe” (NOT SAFE) cohesive gel silicone implants put in in the spring of 2012. By the fall of 2012 my hair was falling out, but I thought it was stress and depression. By spring of 2013 I got hair extensions to mask the hair loss. Then came exhaustion which built up over time and became so severe at some points (by 2015), I couldn’t even get out of bed to turn over the laundry. Other symptoms that worsened over time: brain fog, memory issues, dry mouth, dry eyes, night sweats, random auto-immune responses. Somehow I held down a crazy corporate job in NYC through out all of this. I attributed my issues to severe adrenal fatigue from my stressful job and Epstein-Barr (I had mono in high school and had read about the long-term effects of EBV). I did everything under the sun to become healthy. I changed my diet to eat totally clean, addressed parasites/candida/gut health, stopped drinking alcohol, became a serious meditator, cut out toxins from all of my beauty/cosmetics, regularly went to acupuncture, made sleep a priority, etc. I think this maybe slowed down some symptoms and masked them for a while and I maintained this for 3 years but eventually, IT STILL GOT WORSE. Then by the fall of 2016, the fatigue and brain fog was insane. I got a brain MRI, did a sleep apnea test, went to a brilliant immunologist, and got every single blood test under the sun, including ones for rare genetic diseases. Then I started to get sick – flus, viruses, pneumonia (multiple times in one year). I started randomly breaking out into hives. Not in reaction to anything I ate or put on my skin. I would just get hives. I became allergic to kombucha. I couldn’t stop thinking about how my immunologist had listed off five things that cause auto-immune disease and POISON was one of them. I just felt in my gut that my breast implants were poisoning me. I started researching and came across this website. I knew what I needed to do.

Hi RR,
Thank you for sharing your detailed story and important message on the toxicity of breast implants! This movement is largely driven by women raising awareness by speaking their experiences with breast implants. I am very grateful for each woman who is able to come forward.

You have described my situation almost exactly, please elaborate on what you did! Did you remove them? Did You regain your health? I’ve gotten every test under the sun & things keep coming back “healthy” yet I know that’s impossible considering I have most of you’ve described & am exhausted all the time. I have also had saline for 20 years since I was 16….

My apologies for not responding sooner – I didn’t check back here. Yes, I had the implants removed and my recovery has been amazing. Immediately – like just a few days after surgery – I felt BETTER than before the surgery even though I was obviously still recovering as surgery is a big trauma to the body. It made no logical sense but I think my body just immediately got to work in doing major healing. I also felt like myself again on a deep level. I never realized how much I felt the implants in my body, subconsciously, and what a relief it was to have them gone. It’s only been 3.5 months and my hair is finally growing back (a miracle), my skin is revived, the brain fog is gone (FINALLY), and overall I’m in perfect health. I’m still cycling through some detox periods where my body continues to eliminate the toxins it’s buried all over my body because it couldn’t manage the toxic load leaching from the implants over all of those years. Basically, I’ll have a few days of exhaustion and night sweats where my body does a sweep of detoxing, and then I bounce right back. It’s very different than the extreme, chronic ill health I was experiencing before. To those of you that are so sick and concerned that your body can’t handle a surgery, I totally shared that concern but the body is an AMAZING thing and literally by the next day I felt better than before. That was my experience, at least. Best of luck to all of you!

My apologies for not responding sooner – I didn’t check back here. Yes, I had the implants removed and my recovery has been amazing. Immediately – like just a few days after surgery – I felt BETTER than before the surgery even though I was obviously still recovering as surgery is a big trauma to the body. It made no logical sense but I think my body just immediately got to work in doing major healing. I also felt like myself again on a deep level. I never realized how much I felt the implants in my body, subconsciously, and what a relief it was to have them gone. It’s only been 3.5 months and my hair is finally growing back (a miracle), my skin is revived, the brain fog is gone (FINALLY), and overall I’m in perfect health. I’m still cycling through some detox periods where my body continues to eliminate the toxins it’s buried all over my body because it couldn’t manage the toxic load leaching from the implants over all of those years. Basically, I’ll have a few days of exhaustion and night sweats where my body does a sweep of detoxing, and then I bounce right back. It’s very different than the extreme, chronic ill health I was experiencing before. To those of you that are so sick and concerned that your body can’t handle a surgery, I totally shared that concern but the body is an AMAZING thing and literally by the next day I felt better than before. That was my experience, at least. Best of luck to all of you!

Hi Kelli,
Dr. Linda Huang in Denver, CO is a good explant surgeon. She has been doing explants for the past 20+ years and recognizes that women are getting better after explants. There have been many happy women who have recommended her. There is a Colorado Breast Implant Illness FB Support Group where you can engage with other ladies in that region who are exploring explant surgeons and going through explantation, you can ask questions and see pictures.

Hi, I have silicone gel implants i’d like to remove as well and i called Dr Linda Huang’s office but i was told that she charges 8k for explant which is double the price of most surgeons around here. Do you have any other dr who can just as well and doesn’t charge that much?

Hi, I am a male, years ago I got a silicone chin implant to enhance the look of my chin. Since then I have had many health problems that doctors can not figure out. The plastic surgeon says it is impossible that such a small solid piece of silicone in my chin could cause health problems. What do you think?

Hi David,
Silicone toxicity, foreign body reactions, and biofilm can develop with a variety of implants. The immune system reacts to silicone. Dr. Douglas Shanklin (pathologist) and Dr. David Smalley (immunologist) did a lot of research on the biochemistry/immunology of silicone, their articles are listed under Expert Researchers. One of their publications, “The immunopathology of siliconosis” states “Recent evidence confirms the fundamental involvement of the human immune system in the reaction to implantation of silicone-based medical devices….The clinical consequences of siliconosis are common and can be severe in some individuals implanted with silicone devices.” You might be interested in the Silicone Hypersensitivity Panel, it measures lymphocyte (white blood cell) sensitivity to silicone. There is a lady who had her chin implant removed and it gave her body a chance to heal. There have also been other cases of implants being removed in the community due to similar symptoms as breast implants. In the presence of unresolved health complications, removing foreign material from the body is an important step towards healing.

38 yrs old, saline implants for nearly 13 years. I have a ton of the symptoms but the last 5 years have been rough and last year REALLY rough. blood test are normal except for progesterone low- got on meds and felt much better. then 6 months in it hit me again. I always had minor things in between here. My mom stumbled upon and read these stories and called me to say- THIS IS IT! this is what is wrong. I always tried to chalk it up to my hormones( I have PCOS) but knew something was not right! when it hits hard it gets hard to breathe, I feel like I’m in a cloud, lights hurt my eyes(even without headache sometimes- I wear sunglasses while sitting at my desk a lot), my hands and feet, sometimes arms and legs get numb/tingly/cold/sweaty, my words don’t come out right and I don’t even know why I say the things that I do, I try to make sure I stand up and move around because I feel like it about to be lights out, EXTREME FATIGUE like- I need to just take a nap ASAP. most the time I am at work and I push through. my right arm has lost strength and any clothing up in my armpit and close to my neck gives me anxiety. my hands are shaky/fumbly. haven’t been able to clear my throat in a year and clear snotty/stringy mucus for months. heat intolerance. I have had MRI of brain to check for tumor/lesions and nothing. I will be making phone calls first thing tomorrow to get things figured out! surely its more than low progesterone?!?

Hi KT,
Breast implants serve as chronic stressors that disrupt various bodily systems, including the endocrine system which produces hormones. Adrenal fatigue and hormonal imbalances are an integral part of the illness and symptoms. The theory is twofold – toxicity and foreign body reaction (inflammation).

Both saline and silicone implants are encased in silicone shells that degrade over time. Silicone is an endocrine disruptor and has estrogenic activity and therefore this can create estrogen dominance, additionally heavy metals in breast implants are also endocrine disruptors. Altogether these factors can disrupt the adrenals, ovaries, and other hormone producing glands and commonly cause hormonal imbalances such as low progesterone, estrogen dominance, and/or diminishing of hormones along with other conditions.

Breast implants also create an inflammatory response in the body. This slows down the lymphatic system, creating stagnancy and causing the body to retain toxins, water, and fats instead of mobilizing them.

Breast implants are large foreign bodies that weigh on top of and add pressure to vital organs and this acts as physical stress, additionally the toxicity and inflammation that occurs contribute to increased stress in the body. Chronic stress results in adrenal fatigue, where the body is forced to work harder and goes into a “fight or flight” response which over time exhausts the adrenals. With adrenal fatigue the body favors cortisol production to reduce stress. Progesterone is a precursor to cortisol and is therefore reduced. Progesterone and estrogen have opposing effects and are needed to balance each other, so a deficit in one creates an imbalance. When these two are out of balance, hormone related illnesses occur. Additionally, insulin can also be affected because it works in tandem with cortisol and can lead to insulin resistance, commonly seen with PCOS.

Extreme fatigue, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs, brain fog, photosensitivity, anxiety, heat intolerance, difficulty in clearing your throat, and more are symptoms of breast implant illness.

Severity of symptoms can fluctuate, there can be good days and bad days until eventually there are more bad days than good as the body becomes exacerbated and the quality of life deteriorates. Proper explant will allow the body a chance to heal and normalize. Post explant addressing the adrenals first and supporting them should make a difference – rest, sleep, eat regularly and include protein, vegetables, and fiber with each meal, healthy fats, salt/minerals, some low carbs, and avoid spikes in blood sugar levels. For some ladies hormones will rebalance and go back to normal levels for others that are closer to menopause it may not happen without bioidentical hormone supplementation. Hormone balance is needed for homeostasis to achieve optimal health.

Five years ago my saline implants ruptured a couple months apart. I was not 65 at the time so did not have Medicare or insurance. After asking several doctors, I was told that if I wasn’t having any symptoms not to worry about it. Well, life went swiftly by and I forgot about them. Last year, I started the insurance process through Medicare only to be blocked at every turn. NOW, I’m ill. Very ill. I can barely lift my head off the pillow. Monday, I have to submit all my symptoms to the insurance company. My predicament is that the CT scan and MRI both show the implants as intact, not ruptured. So I’m being denied the visit to the plastic surgeon. Has this ever happened before. Both breasts are clearly deflated and uneven and when the implants ruptured, I peed for days. I will be paying for the initial visit out of pocket. I’m surviving on Social Security.

Is there anyone have problems from polyurethane implants?
Since they changed my old silicone to poliurathane im feeling sick.
Last month i lost my eyevision(i wear glasses to see anything), my hair(i wear false hair) and i have tons of sythomps that makes me think im going to die(it got so bad that i cant get out of bed, before these implants i was in the gym dainly 3 hours)… though my tests(2000 euro bloodtest) are fine!
Im going to explant next week, it would be nice to find sy had experience with poliurathane, i wouldnt feel so alone then…cause in usa where this information wave started prohibited the poliurathane, but europe still love to use it… 🙁

Hi Ester,
Polyurethane implants are very toxic and it is natural to develop symptoms when there is toxicity present. Research found that upon implantation the polyurethane foam disintegrates and dissolves into various chemicals including 2,4 toluenediamine (TDA), a known carcinogen. They were the first implants linked to cancer and were removed from the U.S. market in 1991 due to significant safety concerns.

“The F.D.A. data show that the dissolution of the polyurethane begins immediately after implantation and that in some cases…the coating may dissolve almost completely within five years. The greater the rate of dissolution, the greater the cancer risk, the scientists said they believed.” Source: Scientists tie breast implants to cancer (1991).

An en bloc explant would be ideal to contain the toxicity as much as possible. Please make sure the surgeon does full capsule removal, the capsules have been holding and absorbing the foam that has been disintegrating and therefore need to be entirely removed for best recovery.

Dr. Pierre Blais is a chemist and breast implant failure analysis expert with 40+ years of experience, he has written about polyurethane implants, see pages 23 “FOAM-COATED PROSTHESES – DESIGN AND RISK ISSUES” and 24 “ORIGIN OF THE POLYURETHANE FOAM IMPLANT”.

To read another story on polyurethane implants, see below under Rose Rees for her comment and the in-depth reply for more information. There are also many breast implant illness Facebook support groups you can join, here is a list.

This website has been a godsend. I have spent hours on here researching and now have some consultations set up for explant. My husband is onboard now too, which is a blessing…I have been sick for so long, it has clicked for the both of us. Thank you.

Today is the first I Learned Implant Poison was even a thing, I seen a FB post and have since been researching all day..I’m thankful for the information on this site and Thank you.. I had my saline Implants in 2006, in 2014 I had first MRI ( Due to stoke like symptom, numbing& tingling ), then 2 years later another one, I have had multiple blood test, hormone test ect. Nothing ever found. My worst symptoms are the vertigo, brain fog (Weird brain waves) muscle and bone aches, fatigue over all body weekness, loss of strength, emotional rollercoaster, blurry eyes,. constantly freezing, nausea, oh the list goes on , it is a true struggle every day… I just had surgery to remove a terrible case of endometriosis, my tubes and an ovary removed.. I also had a mammogram the results Suggested a biopsy on my left boob and the right has a small mass. AGAIN I’m thankful for the information I have been reading in this site .. I live in Utah and will look for someone to do the Metal and chemical tests and try for further help. Thank you and advise is appreciated

Hi Karen,
Welcome, the discovery of breast implant illness is a defining first step in each woman’s journey towards health recovery. Learning about proper explant with full capsule removal is the next step. Unfortunately, most tests are often found to be normal and do not reflect the level of sickness felt by women with breast implant illness. Implants create underlying inflammation and toxicity – the body’s manifestation of symptoms is the best indication of a reaction. Symptoms such as chronic fatigue, brain fog, muscle and body aches, numbness and tingling, vertigo, vision disturbances, and more are common with breast implants and tend to heal with explant. Endocrine dysfunction via adrenal fatigue and thyroid problems occur often with implants and a good measure of this is low body temperature, see here and here. Sometimes saline implants are found to have faulty valves and mold. You can read stories of other women’s experiences with this on the Saline Implants and Mold page, including a list of labs to help detect mold toxicity. You may be interested in trying the free online Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) Test. MRIs are recommended to be done without contrast due to gadolinium toxicity, which can cause more symptoms. There is a Utah Breast Implant Illness FB Support Group. Popular explant surgeons in Utah are Dr. Bindrup, Dr. Hijjawi, and Dr. Crofts.

I would love to share my experience. I complained that I had a lump in my right breast. Theygive me a ultrasound. They told me I had a folder in my implant. They did not tell me that I have a leak. I have silicone implants. When I went in the next year, they said my left side was worse. Encapsuled and leaking in my lumps nodes. Went to Huntmans!! I’m a mess!! Pain everyday of my life.there is so much more. Would love to talk! Want my health back. Pain everyday and no feeling.😂

I have had saline implants since 2000. Within a few months I started having numerous of the symptoms that you have listed. At that time my husband was Active Duty Military, I went to the on base doctor over and over again about a lymph node by my collar bone that was swollen, have had sporadically a rash on the bottom of my foot that doctors have given me at least 15 different diagnosis, chest pains, even panic attacks, and they literally just figured I was a hypochondriac. I would tell them, I know my body and something is just not right. At first I never even considered it was my implants. However, as the symptoms have increased over the years I started thinking this was the cause. I just heard about Breast Implant Illness yesterday and I really want an en bloc explant. I have very good insurance from two separate insurance providers but basically since this was an elective plastic surgery I am worried that I cannot get insurance to pay for the procedure. Earlier this year I had already decided that I wanted to have my implants removed and was quoted over $7,000 close to $10,000 for the procedure which I currently cannot afford. If you could provide me with any advise and assistance I would greatly appreciate it. I live in San Antonio but could easily travel to Fort Worth, Dallas or Houston, TX for the procedure.

Hi Cindy, my situation is very similar to yours. I would like to explant next year. Before meeting with a plastic surgeon, I thought it would be a good idea to schedule an appointment with a doctor of internal medicine. I will meet with her next week and am going to request some lab work and toxicity testing. Please click on this URL for BII tests that are used to investigate some fo the problems associated with breast mplants: https://www.breastimplantillness.com/tests. If any of these tests are abnormal, I will then approach my medical insurance company with the results. I am thinking that perhaps my insurance may cover the cost of explant or at least a portion of it. Just a suggestion.

Thank you so much. My health has deteriorated over the last few years and I’ve gone from incredibly fit to almost crippled. I had silicone smooth implants put in 7years ago and I just never thought they could be the cause of all my issues. I finally did some research yesterday and was gob smacked by the stories Bii that just seem to mimic my own history. I have all the same symptoms now to a debilitating degree. I have to say this page and your answers are so well informed. I’m was an intensive care nurse and you write so clearly with such a balanced voice of information and references. I do have some capsulation, no idea if I have leaks or not. I am not sure what doctors in Australia specialise in this, if you know if any I’d be very grateful. I’m going to see a very respected one in two weeks and will request explant asap. I have been feeling so hopeless at not getting answers, I don’t know if this will fix all my health problems but Just knowing that whatever happens this will make me a healthier person has really lifted my spirits.

Thank you for your wonderful, informative site. It is nothing short of a godsend. An outbreak of severe eczema on my face and neck, when I’ve never had skin issues or allergies, led me to connect the dots with a few subtler things that had happened, and an online search took me to your site. I literally found most of my answers in one place and appreciate all the effort you put into citing so many resources. It is an invaluable tool. My surgery is scheduled for next month and I’m counting the days.

I received silicone implants in late 2012. Two years later in 2014, my left implant contracted when I fell extremely ill with C Difficile Colitis and almost died. Two years later in 2016, I found out I had an active cytomegalovirus infection and extremely high cortisol. I also had low estrogen and progesterone which had caused my periods to stop for almost 3 years. To begin with, I got my breast implants to correct a congenital deformity that left me self conscious from when I first began to develop, so I guess I’ve never wanted to make the correlation to my illness. I am planning to have them redone early next year. I am doing better health wise now, however I’m still dealing with CMV, high cortisol and diet limitations due to the virus. I wonder if I were to get the implants removed if the virus were to go dormant, my cortisol would lower to normal and I could resume my old diet, again? I have done everything my integrative doctor has told me to do for CMV (anti-viral diet, supplements, etc.) and for my cortisol and while they’ve diminished, they are still very much there and affecting my life. I also suffer from right side/liver pain and do coffee enemas several times a week. If I don’t, I get very dizzy. I’ve never been able to figure out what that is about. I also suffer from other bizarre symptoms like water retention, swelling of feet and ankles and random hives. I have blamed it all on CMV up until reading your website. I feel validated. Do you think, based off what I have said, that removing my implants would benefit me? Thank you!

Hi Taylor,
Yes, removing the implants would benefit you. The implants can affect our hormones, thyroid, adrenals, gastrointestinal tract, liver, and other systems. The implants are two large foreign bodies that act as stressors to the body, they can put it in fight or flight mode and this impacts the adrenals and cortisol. There have been women in the breast implant illness groups who have had their periods stop prematurely and post explant they begin again. Your immune system is suppressed by the implants and dormant viruses reactivate and tend to stay reactivated. By removing the foreign body interference with the immune system you have a better chance to finally strengthen your immune system. The liver is another area that is impacted by the toxic overload. As the body struggles to eliminate toxins the liver becomes sluggish. Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms, post explant this generally gets better. The balance of the gut is also commonly disrupted, 70% of the immune system lies in the gut and it is referred to as the second brain. Many women, me included, have been able to resume our old diets post explant, after a period of healing. With implants I could no longer eat gluten and developed many strange allergies that all resolved post explant. There is hope, the heal is real. Removing the foreign bodies is the first step to healing.

I had silicone implants done 5 years ago, three years ago after going to the doctor with extreme fatigue (I was sleeping 14-16 hours a day and was still exhausted) I was diagnosed with Epstein-Barr and was told there was nothing that could be done and that I would just need to let the flare up run it’s course. Deflated and exhausted I upped my Vitamin C and prayed for the best. A few months later while I was at the OB/GYN for my annual I shard with her that I was recently diagnosed with Epstein Barr but I was still so very tired, she ordered blood tests which showed I had low testosterone and Vitamin D levels. She prescribed testosterone cream and 5,000 IU’s of Vitamin D a day…to this day both of these levels remain low. Fast forward to last October, I thought I had hurt my shoulder while exercising again I went to see my doctor he prescribed a 5 day course of steroids. Not much changed after my course of meds, but now it felt like bouncing back after my workouts were taking longer and longer and I flat out just did not have the energy to complete most of them. Then in January of this year while sitting in Church, it felt as if gasoline was being poured down my arm and my hand had gone numb. Again, called and saw my doctor who sent me for an MRI which revealed a bulging disc in my neck. I have taken the prescibed meds, done the suggested treatments and still my neck and arm hurt, my hands and arms are numb and now the numbness is moving to my feet, I remain exhausted and muscle fatigue and muscle spasms are a real and painful. This morning I awoke thinking of a acquitance who recently had her implants removed due to BIL, and instantly I hoped online and found your site, I know that something is wrong with me and my doctors just keep going back to the bulging disc in my neck. I am frustrated and I am scared.

Hi Christy,
Breast implants are foreign bodies that cause a chronic foreign body reaction where your immune system is suppressed and long-term is weakened. A weakened immune system triggers dormant viruses to reactivate, such as Epstein Bar Virus (EBV), Mycoplasma, Coxsackie A, Coxsackie B, HSV-I, HSV-II, HHV 6, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Varicella Zoster, etc. Steroids suppress the already weakened immune system, therefore they leave the body more vulnerable, and women with breast implants are generally not getting better with them. Silicone and heavy metals in the implants are endocrine disruptors and hormonal imbalances can occur. Vitamin D is a hormone and has immunemodularity activity. Vitamin D deficiency is “considered a risk factor for several chronic/inflammatory or autoimmune conditions,” see here. Not surprisingly, many women in the breast implant illness groups have low vitamin D. Your other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (tingling in the arms, numbness in the hands) and muscle aches, pains, and spasms occur with breast implants.

The good news is that with removal of these foreign devices, women are experiencing significant health improvements. The body is able to move away from its disrupted state and begin healing. This can all be a lot to take in and absorb, but please know there is hope! Realizing something is wrong is the first step to recognizing your symptoms and a timely explant of implants and their surrounding scar tissue (capsules) is key.

Hi,
Not sure still exactly what is going on. I have been diagnosed with Scleroderma (Limited) Hashimotos, Gerd, reflux, fatigue, digestion issues, recent 30 lb weight loss.My Gp says to me as of Last Friday he thinks it’s my implants. I am 57 with 17 year old saline implants. Expalnt surgery is scheduled for Sept 28th. Not quite sure what to think. For some reason I was ok with the Ssc diagnosis but this BII business has me all freaked out. So scared they are going to find mold.

What great reading and useful and informative shares and replies. BII is very new to me. 35 years ago I had Surgitek implants put into my body. I was told by surgeon that I was getting new, state of the art implants, would last me a lifetime and would feel better about the new look…..TODAY I know different. I have 3 adult children , breastfed before implants were placed. Thank goodness for that. OVer the 35 years, I had a hysterectomy – I had irregular bleeding and was advised this would stop the bleeding. I have multi modular goiters, thyroid problems, hashimoto thyroiditis. Hiatal hernia removed 4 yrs ago. INvoluntery spasms in throat area, gastro problems, Uncontrolallable coughing, choking sensation, heartburn, hot and cold flashes, vagina dryness, mouth dryness, fungal issues on toes. Asthma, sensitive and allergic to many things. I have many of the symptoms of BII that are listed. All of my symptoms are and have been treated with medication from my physician. I have been recently involved with 2 motor vehicle accidents, I was t boned in Jan. 2016 and rear ended in June of 2016. BOth accidents continue to be problematic. I continue to be treated by chiro and physio. From the first accident, when I was being treated, my breast area is and continues to be an area where pain is 10 out of 10. It was then that I felt my implants were ruptured. MAmmeograms, ultra sounds showed everything was ok, or so my dr. told me. I am 65 and devastated about what I have read about BII. After 35 yrs, I must have black mouldy bags in me. Will it be safe at my age to explant? I look forward to your reply. Grateful for you and all you do. Xoxo

Surgitek was a subsidiary of Bristol-Myers Squibb, the breast implants were sold under the names Meme and Replicon and they were polyurethane coated (very dangerous/toxic and linked to cancer). They were in production from about 1980 to when the manufacturer voluntarily withdrew them in 1991 due to significant safety concerns. They were made with aggressive chemicals on the surface to deter and weaken the immune system from forming scar tissue, thus they were a “new” attempt to reduce capsular contracture (a frequent problem with earlier implants). Among other things, adverse reaction reports indicated that the foam disintegrated and dissolved into the body, meaning it broke down into fragments and/or was “partially digested,” to the point where the foam surface disappeared – explanted implants in some cases had little to no coating left on them. Research found the polyurethane foam to breakdown into 2,4 toluenediamine (TDA), a known carcinogen. It was the first time breast implants were linked to cancer, which is interesting to note because modern textured implants are the second time breast implants have been linked to cancer, and what they both have in common is a chemically abrasive fuzzy surface.

“The F.D.A. data show that the dissolution of the polyurethane begins immediately after implantation and that in some cases…the coating may dissolve almost completely within five years. The greater the rate of dissolution, the greater the cancer risk, the scientists said they believed.” Source: Scientists tie breast implants to cancer (1991).

Silicone and polyurethane are used as sealants in cars and as toxic pesticides, yet they were introduced in breast implants as “safe, new and innovative” ideas until women were significantly harmed. You can read the marketing history of implants and using the term “new” to describe each generation of implants and then later finding out their failures, under Safety.

Mammograms and ultrasounds have had many false reports regarding suspected ruptures. It is always good to request your medical records and look through the notes, patients are often surprised by the discrepancies or new information they find. Additionally, Surgitek has some of the higher rates of ruptures amongst the earlier implants.

It is good that you explant preferably en bloc to contain as much of the rupture as possible. I would highly recommend looking into Dr. Feng or Dr. Chun as explant surgeons experienced with more complex cases. Please seek advice from your surgeon regarding your age and individual circumstances. Your body has been fighting the toxicity from these implants for a long time.

You can read a previous explant story of a 62 year old woman with ruptured Surgitek breast implants and her post explant updates, here. She states: “It’s been two weeks now and I am so very glad to be explanted” and “It has been one year since Dr. Feng [explanted] the old,old surgitek implants. What a good decision it was. I am happy to have my health and no worries about implants even if I have small breasts again.”

Hi Rose,
Your comment sent on March 31st 2018 has been received. Three attempts have been made to reach you in regard to your enquiry but twice the emails were sent back with an error message. Do you have another email address to be reached at? Or you can contact the site at [email protected].

Hello, I have had my saline, textured implants for 17 years. just over a year ago started experiencing strange symptoms that, since discovering this illness exists, seem to tell the tale. I was diagnosed with mono last year this time and since have battled additional symptoms along with this virus. Just this week, my GP drew blood to check my mono titers again and they came back elevated even more than last year! I stay so sick all the time. I can’t go for my daily runs and have very little energy to make it through my 8-5 desk job, after being a very active woman since my teens! My breasts are often very tender. My last mammogram was almost unbearable. The tech who performed it was shocked that I had so much pain during the procedure. At that time, I just knew she’d see something ominous in the x-rays. I did have to return for an ultrasound but they found nothing suspicious. Of course they weren’t looking for implant damage. My lymph nodes stay swollen, I have head aches, lower back and lower ab pain, consistent pains in my legs. I have sever drenching night sweats that are profoundly different from the hot flashes I had before I started wearing a hormone patch. I am post menopausal x 3 years and I’m 53 years old. I still have all my reproductive organs. I have a hard time with my cognizant skills to the point where, just today, I forgot my own social security number and had to locate my card to recall it. I have NEVER had problems focusing like this. I’ve no energy….I had a stress test this past week, (another way my GP is trying to pacify me), I had an EKG change but apparently it’s not life threatening: I’ve had no call back rom my doctor. He hasn’t addressed very many symptoms because I think he believes I’m being overly dramatic. I KNOW my symptoms are real. Do any of you know a proper explantation doctor in the North Alabama area? I’m not above asking my OB/GYN on my next routine visit, which is the end of August, but if you know of someone, I’d welcome the info. Thanks for such an informative article. Now I see I’m not alone…..and NOT crazy! I am almost 100% positive my illness is more from my implants than from mono. My breasts have changed shape as well. Maybe a leaky implant?

Hi Karen,
Yes, your symptoms are real and you can rest assured they align with the experiences of decades of other women. Symptoms of chronic fatigue, brain fog, swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, pains, reactivated viruses, and more, are part of a cascade of effects that occurs with breast implants.

Textured saline breast implants are problematic for a variety of reasons.

First, as large foreign bodies they stimulate a chronic foreign body reaction. Eventually this overwhelms and impairs the immune system, creating immune dysfunction and autoimmune like symptoms. Immune dysfunction allows opportunistic pathogens to grow out of control (ex. candida) and for dormant viruses to reactivate (Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus, etc). The viral titres will stay elevated because the body has a compromised immune system fighting the implants and the toxins released, and therefore becomes weakened. When it is weakened it can no longer regulate the dormant viruses. A cascade of dysregulation develops. The weakened immune system begins to overlap and affect other systems – the gut (70% of the immune system lies in the gut), the endocrine system (adrenals, thyroid, ovaries, etc), the liver, the brain, etc. – because everything in the body is interconnected.

Second, many saline implants have faulty valves that allow body fluid/tissue in and allow colonization of fungal microorganisms inside the implant. These microorganisms produce metabolites which are toxic to us known as biotoxins. There are some tests you can do to measure your body’s reaction to see if biotoxins or mold are present, such as: the free online Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) test, C4a and Alpha MSH (lab work), and the brain MRI NeuroQuant test (without contrast).

Third, textured implants are the most linked to causing ALCL, a rare cancer of the immune system. The rough and textured surfaces aggravate the immune system and trigger inflammation. The textured shells can flake off and the debris can get incorporated into the capsules and lymph nodes. If you have swelling, seroma, enlarged lymph nodes, breast mass, or even capsular contracture you should request the CD30 ALCL testing for pathology. Don’t assume the doctor will test for fluid collection or that he will send capsules off for the CD30 testing, these can easily be discarded unless requested by the patient.

Mammograms are not recommended to do with breast implants because they can contribute to ruptures and they can sometimes increase symptoms. See here for a study by FDA scientists indicating that silicone or saline implants sometimes rupture or can cause pain when women undergo mammograms.

The Explant Surgeons page lists two surgeons in Alabama and seven in nearby Georgia. There have been some ladies that have been very happy with Dr. Bahair Ghazi in Atlanta.

I have had an implant since my breast cancer in 2009 and have had pain ever since. I go to my plastic surgeon every year and he says everything is okay. For the last couple of months I have been having rapid heart beat and my cardiologist said my heart is okay he said it is anxiety. Could this be my implant. Who is a good doctor to remove this in Lady Lake, FL?

Yes, ladies with breast implants have developed pains, arrhythmias, palpitations, and increased anxiety that reverse with explant.

In Dr. Brawer’s ‘Chronology of systemic disease development in 300 symptomatic recipients of silicone gel-filled breast implants,’ 77% of women had early chest pain and 25% of overall women later reported palpitations.

Test results tend to come out within the normal ranges even for the most symptomatic ladies. Therefore, symptoms tend to elude the doctors and misdiagnosis is common.

Breast implants create artificial disturbance in the body that over time creates imbalance and can result in various nutrient deficiencies. In particular, magnesium deficiency has been increasingly seen and this can cause heart arrhythmias. My recommendation for your rapid heart beat would be to speak with a functional doctor or naturopath about magnesium taurate and the antioxidant CoQ10 (in the active ubiquinol form, not ubiquinone) for the heart. You can read more about magnesium’s role in heart health here and the different forms of magnesium here. You can also research “magnesium deficiency and arrhythmia” and many results will come up.

For your age concerns I would speak to your doctor or consult with a surgeon. Please refer to the list of Explant Surgeons. Dr. Barnett in Sarasota, FL comes highly recommended by women.

Wow, I want to thank you so much! This website has been extremely informative for my daughter and me while dealing with her symptoms consistent with breast implant illness. You describe it as a “silent epidemic” and that’s why it took us so long to realize the connection with her breast implants. Now we are moving forward with explantation. We finally have hope to help my daughter’s symptoms which have been going on for over a year now and have prevented her from working. I hope many other women struggling with this same issue will be able to use this excellent resource. Thank you again for bringing awareness.

I have had saline implants for 43 years. I hace had my galbladder out, I experience muscle pain have shortness of breath which is copd, have had to take pills to sleep for years . Does insurance pay for any of the removal?

Hi Diane,
Generally, the insurance criteria focuses on capsular contractures, ruptures, and pain. It really varies with insurance plan and state. Some women have been denied on their first try and then resubmitted again multiple times and have been accepted, while others have not been able to get coverage. There are non-profit organizations who try to help ladies through the process of getting insurance approval. See the insurance page.

Digestive problems are frequently seen in the women of the breast implant illness groups. The gut is offset by the disruption of the immune system and the toxins. Eating clean, supporting the gut flora, and reducing exposure to synthetics are important in promoting gut health. There are some articles stating that sleeping pills make acid reflux worse, see here. Maybe you can talk to a functional doctor or naturopath about natural sleep remedies that are gentler on the body, such as valerian root, melatonin, or GABA.

There have been a handful of ladies with breast implants who have had their gallbladders removed. I believe the liver gets overloaded with toxins and drug residues, causing problems with the liver detoxification pathways, and therefore some of the toxins are not neutralized and are dumped in their toxic state in the gallbladder.

For your age concerns, it is best to speak with your doctor about the medical necessity of explant. Forty-three years is a long time to be holding stagnant water in an implant in the body. Some saline implants have faulty valves and devleop mold, they can become like dirty aquariums. But it truly depends, some come out clean.

I had my implants done approx 20 years ago. I did not develop any illnesses until approx 3 years ago. It started out slow but has progressed this past 6 months. I initially was diagnosed with RA – had three ANA test positive within 3 months. Then 2 years ago I had stomach issues develop. Gall bladder was check out. They did nuclear test and several CT scans. Everything looked normal. I have been complaining with lower abdominal pain along with low back pain. X-rays are normal. Just had a contract CT last week. Everything is normal once again. I feel like some one has hit me in my lower back with a bat. And if I had female parts it feels like major cramps.
I am thinking maybe I have major scar tissue growing inside is my lower abdomen. I don’t know Funny – as I am speaking I just got a call from the gastroenterologist to schedule an upper GI……not sure I will.
Looking for surgeon in Northwest Arkansas or in Destin FL are to consult with.
Thanks,
Pam, Destin

Hi Pam,
Many women with breast implants tend to have tests with relatively normal results despite having numerous symptoms and health concerns. They are sent through the medical circle of additional doctors/specialists and tests, with little being uncovered and yet more medications being dispensed. Some ladies are even sent through additional surgeries of having body parts removed – such as ovaries, thyroid, or gallbladder – before they realize their breast implants are foreign objects contributing to a chronic foreign body reaction and to systemic dysregulation.

Rheumatoid arthritis and high ANA’s have been discussed a lot with breast implants. Some women have experienced reversal of RA and other autoimmune conditions with explant. You also mentioned stomache issues – gut health is paramount to restoring the equilibrium that is often offset by the implants. How the gut is harmed and how to support it are discussed on the healing page. The gut is intimately connected with the immune system, hormones, detoxification, and more. The intestinal walls absorb toxins and contribute to inflammation. When the immune system is weakened the gut is also affected. Gastrointestinal and digestive problems such as leaky gut, gut dysbiois, irritable bowel syndrome, bowel inflammation (colitis), allergies/food intolerances, parasites, fungus (candida) and more, are increasingly being seen in women in the breast implant illness groups. Tests with contrast are not recommended as these use gadolinium, which can cause gadolinium toxicity (one of the many symptoms is aching pain, which it sounds like you are experiencing after the contrast CT) and can contribute to further detoxification issues (which many are already experiencing), therefore it adds to the toxic overload.

The Explant Surgeons page lists two plastic surgeons in Arkansas and many in Florida. The closest one near Destin is Dr. Tara Harden in Fort Walton Beach. There have been a handful of ladies that have said she does the correct process of doing a proper explant, sending capsules to pathology, submitting to insurance, and have been happy with their results. In Florida there is also Dr. Marguerite Barnett in Sarasota who has many good word of mouth recommendations from ladies.

There are breast implant illness Facebook support groups for Arkansas and Florida where you can engage with other ladies in those regions who are exploring explant surgeons and going through explantation.

There is no definitive test(s) for breast implant illness. There used to be silicone antibody tests and a variety of other immunological tests, but they for the most part have been discontinued.

If you are interested in seeing if you have a sensitivity to silicone, currently available is a popular test called the Silicone Hypersensitivity Panel and it measures sensitivity to: Silicone, Silicates (silicon dioxide), Polyvinylpyrrolidone, Tin/stannous chloride, Titanium dioxide, Petroleum by products, Xylene, Toluene, Benzene, Latex, Phenol, Formaldehyde, Vinyl chloride, Green #5, Blue #2, Violet #2, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Aluminum. You can read more information about silicone allergy testing here.

Ultimately, if you are having symptoms it is really important to listen to your body and to respond in a timely manner to prevent further progression of illness. Explant is the first step towards health by removing artificial disturbance and interference with the body.

Has anyone experienced feeling hot and cold. It almost feels like an infection but there is no fever and all blood work is normal. I have exhausted and and all doctors and no one seems able to explain it. This odd symptom began around a year after a double mastectomy and silicone breast implant reconstruction. I also have other symptoms similar to what others have talked about on this page. Mainly memory problems and breathing difficulties. Last year I was diagnosed with Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. I had no idea there were so many problems with implants until I came across this page. Thank you so much:

Hi EllieMCM,
You may have a biofilm related infection. Biofilm is adherent bacteria that commonly forms a film covering the surfaces of biomaterials in the body. They cause chronic low grade bacterial infections, chronic inflammation, and can cause capsular contracture. They are almost undetectable and highly resistant to antibiotics – antibiotic treatment alone without implant removal can actually increase resistance of the biofilm. This underlying infection is treated with removal of the implant. There is a research article from 2015, titled “Chronic biofilm infection in breast implants is associated with an increased T-cell lymphocytic infiltrate: implications for breast implant-associated lymphoma” that found “chronic biofilm infection around breast prostheses produces an increased T-cell response both in the pig and in humans.” You may want to ask your doctor if this is playing a role in your Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Breast implants have been confirmed to cause cancer. In March 2017, the FDA issued a warning confirming that breast implants cause Anaplastic Large-Cell Lymphoma (ALCL), a rare type of blood cancer. Dr. Mark Clemens, a plastic surgeon who has been following ALCL, stated “The current lifetime risk of BIA-ALCL in the U.S. is estimated to be 1:30,000 women with textured implants based upon current confirmed cases and textured implant sales data over the past two decades.” This statement can be found here. As a note, both smooth and textured breast implants can cause ALCL.

This is so weird to me because I had mine done in 2007 and in 2009 I started having all kinds of symptoms . Was told lunes disease then ms after testing negative was sent to Mayo Clinic had a positive Ana and abnormal blood work . Now I have lupus and chrons can’t work and have no energy . Would love to be able to have them out but do not have the money ..

Hi Nicole,
Positive ANA and debilitating fatigue/no energy are commonly seen with breast implants. Lupus has been evidenced too.
Breast implant illness can mimic many illnesses and cause misdiagnoses. Some ladies were misdiagnosed with MS, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis when they actually had breast implant illness and then after explant are recovering or are recovered. Other times the severity of the damage that breast implants cause is longer lasting and women do develop lupus and other autoimmune conditions. Essentially, the body mounts a persistent immune attack (first acute and then chronic) on the foreign objects until often times it eventually starts to attack itself. The implants are a constant source of immune stimulation, this involves the release of many inflammatory mediators that result in inflammation, which has the potential to create symptoms in every organ system. You can read more about this under mechanisms. The first step towards improving your health is to remove all foreign interference within the body, beginning with explantation and then followed by diet, detoxification, and treating any other areas that have been affected (such as co-infections, mold/fungal issues which are common with breast implants, thyroid/adrenals, etc). After explant you can also remove any other foreign material such as potential mercury amalgams. In regards to financial support, you can try to see if insurance can be of assistance or do a go-fund me.

I’m completely freaking out! I have been to so many doctors for joint pain, bones aching, tired when I shouldn’t be, brain fog, I have had mammograms, sonograms, rheumatoid dr, cortisone shots for pain. I have saline implants & have had them for at least 20 years. I have had no complications with them so was advised to just leave them alone instead of replacing them. I have known about silicone leakage but wasn’t concerned because mine are saline now I’m worried!

I have a rupture, for the third time in my saline breast implants. I have a consult next week to decide if I want to remove or replace them. Do saline implants cause “breast implant illness”? I know the shell is silicone but what is leaking into my body is slat water. Any suggestions?

Hi Jennifer, good question – yes, saline and silicone breast implants both cause breast implant illness. Saline implants are large foreign objects in the body that contribute to an inflammatory, chronic foreign body response and will also have the potential risk of biotoxicity.

With saline implants there is the added element that many of the saline valves are permeable and allow body fluid/tissue in and allow colonization of microorganisms inside the implant. These microorganisms produce metabolites which are toxic to us known as biotoxins (including mold), which produce diverse inflammatory and toxic responses.

Many saline implants have defective faulty valves that leak and cause a “backwash” effect in the body. This allows the cultivation of mold in the saline shell where it can thrive for years, causing biotoxicity symptoms. The labels on the saline solution (pyrogen-free Sodium Chloride U.S.P. Solution for Injection) to fill the saline implants, recommends storage at 25°C (77°F) and includes a discard date of about 18 months. With these implants the saline is stored in the body at 98.6°F for many years. This makes the perfect breeding conditions for fungi and other microbes to grow. Mold from faulty valves has been recorded to be found in saline breast implants since as early as 1978. It continues to occur and is regularly suppressed and buried by the medical community. (Sources: here see pg.15 and here)

We recommend proper explant with full capsule removal, as this correlates with health recovery. Do not let them try to convince you to allow them to drain the implants in the office and then remove them at a later date. Piercing a hole in implants and then leaving them in the body in that condition leaves you vulnerable to further biotoxins and contamination. An experienced and knowledgable surgeon will be committed in full capsule removal.

Hello, I had reconstruction after a 2009 double mastectomy and have been sick ever since. I’ve been shuffled from Dr. to Dr., developed a benign tumor over 5 centimeters, suffered infection after infection, and developed gastric problems, lymph node problems, pain, swelling, ect. ect. recently I was told by an ear, nose and throat Dr. they were almost positive I suffered from implant illness. My symptoms have worsened to shortness of breath and muscle weakness, I used to run, now I can barely get off the couch. I have an appointment scheduled in May with the immunologist, but called My plastic surgeon whom I’m seeing on Monday. Your forum has help prepare me for the visit, and I Thank You. I’m scared to go through another surgery but am hopeful I can restore some of My Health. I will be My own advocate this time around. I had a massive infection and drains for over 8 weeks following My original Mastectomy. Thank You Kelly C. Massachusetts

I emailed you an article on silicone immunology for any immunology concerns.

Most of us experience explant surgery to be relatively easier than implantation. The body is given a relief from the weight, toxicity, and foreign body interference of the implants, and the outcome is lighter than when we get implanted. There is a FB group called Breast Implant Illness and Breast Cancers Survivors Home that may also be of help. Holding you in love and light, please don’t hesitate to ask any questions.

I have became extremely ill as soon as a new pair of implants came in my body. I called the surgeon as soon as I finished my pain killers and told him I was hurting so they said to go see a doctor something else was going on. It has been a year and I am worse than ever. Last night I decided that I need to remove my implants. I just couldn’t see my self with out breast. My illness has me feeling so sick I need them removed asap. I don’t know where to start by making sure I get the right doctor to remove them. The nurse in plastic surgeons office said they could just pull them out and under regular anistedic. I don’t see that right, I hear about making sure all is taken out and cleaned. Please if anyone know of a good doctor in Houston, please help me.

Hi Lupe,
Thank you for sharing your experience. Do not let a nurse or doctor try to tell you they can pull the implant out in the office under local anesthesia, for a quick procedure – if they do, run!

The Explant Surgeons page lists eight plastic surgeons in Houston who have done proper explant and have been recommended by ladies in the breast implant illness groups, they are:

Dr. Mark Clemens, Dr. Fabian Worthing, Dr. Paul Fortes, Dr. Shayan Isaddost, Dr. Scott Yarish, Dr. James F. Boynton, Dr. Melissa Crosby, and Dr. Kristi Sumpter. Look through the list of questions to ask them, which details all of the concerns you will want addressed by the surgeon. I would interview a few and choose the one you feel most comfortable with.

Recovery tends to be faster with people who have had the implants in for a less amount of time and with full capsule removal. In my humble opinion, you will most likely fully recover your health. Please keep in touch.

Hi Katie-lou, someone recommended Dr. Margaret O’Donnell in Dublin.
Her comment is: “She doesn’t use the term en bloc so I asked her to describe how she would remove and she demonstrated with a tissue and an implant and said that both would be removed together as a unit to avoid silicone spillage as i had a rupture. I asked her to remove both implants en bloc and she agreed even though she said that it probably wasn’t necessary in the un ruptured side. She took 5 hours to make sure that she got it all out and I am happy with my result. If you are looking for another surgeon I would certainly recommend her.” See here and here.
Further, I have emailed this surgeon and she replied “Thank you for your enquiry. I do both En Bloc, and Total Capsulectomy explant procedures, depending on the indication.”
If you consult with this surgeon, describe how you want the capsule and implant removed as one unit (en bloc) and alternatively ask/insist on full capsule removal (total capsulectomy). Here is a list of explant questions to ask a surgeon.